Letters to the Editor — Jan. 31, 2013

Thursday

Jan 31, 2013 at 3:15 AM

To the editor: Imagine this: You, your spouse, and your kids (or grandkids) are leaving a local restaurant after a relaxing family outing. It’s dark outside. Your car is parked blocks away, but it’s a safe neighborhood so you don’t mind the walk.

Suddenly, you’re aware of a disturbance down the street. Two civilians are facing off, voices raised and sharp with tension. A woman is screaming. You can’t really see what’s happening, but your gut tells you something is about to go badly wrong.

Then, shots are fired.

Fortunately, this frightening scenario rarely plays out in the Granite State. But in 2011, the NH Legislature passed a radical law that provides broad criminal and civil immunity to a person who responds to a life-threatening encounter with deadly force — with no obligation to retreat, even when a completely safe retreat is possible. By eliminating the duty to use deadly force as a last resort in common areas, this new statute turns our public parks, downtown districts and shopping malls into potential free-fire zones.

New Hampshire today bears no resemblance to the Wild West or the fictional world of “Mad Max,” where heavily armed marauders roam the land with the intent to maim and kill. In reality, we live in a low-crime state — the kind of state where most residents agree that protecting the right of citizens to “shoot first and ask questions later” just doesn’t make sense.

The current law makes the communities where we live, work, and play less safe from the impact of gun violence. A recently introduced House bill, HB 135, rolls back unnecessarily broad protections for use of lethal force in self-defense while preserving the right to protect our lives, homes and families from bad actors. The New Hampshire legislature should pass HB 135 without delay.

Judith Stadtman

Portsmouth

To the editor: Let’s see if I understand this. You report that a submarine commander has been dismissed by an administrator?

“WMUR-TV says Navy Cmdr. Luis Molina was dismissed by Administrator Rick Breckenridge. Breckenridge says he lost confidence in the commander to effectively lead the USS Pasadena during its period of maintenance at the Kittery shipyard.”

Who is this administrator with the power to do this? Are they outside the Navy chain of command? Or could this be Rear Admiral Breckenridge, who does indeed have command over Molina?

Molly Rhenquist

Durham

To the editor: I would like to make all New Hampshire residents aware of a letter that is being sent that appears to be from the NH Motor Vehicle department regarding renewal of your license on line.

I recently went on line and found myself with a charge of $24.99 for a form that I could have received for free from NHMV.

After I entered my information my credit card was charged but all I received was a form.

After contacting NHMV I was told that they did not authorize this company to provide this service.

The confirmation I received is from:

DriverLicense-Assistance.com/ver3.

Everyone please be aware of this.

John Gemas

Milton

To the editor: Let’s study facts and stop taking advantage of a tragedy to regurgitate emotional banter and uninformed opinions.

For three years in a row New Hampshire has been declared the safest State in the nation with the lowest murder rate, by The Congressional Quarterly Press. In the last decade New Hampshire has also seen the fastest decrease in crime. We have one of the fewest number of Police Officers per capita and the most relaxed gun-laws of any State in the Union.

Chicago is the murder capital of The United States reporting 506 firearm related deaths in 2012. Chicago also has the strictest gun laws. If gun control worked wouldn’t these statistics be reversed?

Virtually every mass murder that has occurred over the last twenty years has taken place in a gun free zone including, ironically, Fort Hood.

The gunman in Newtown took advantage of Connecticut’s strict weapon laws to slaughter 26 persons knowing no one in the school or on the grounds would be armed.

Gun free zones are an invitation to crime and a magnet for mass shooters, much like posting a sign reading “ We’re here, we’re totally helpless and no one can stop you”.

They should be eliminated rather than expanded.

The 1994 Assault Weapons Ban did nothing to impact violent crime. In fact over the ten years it was in force violent crime, per capita, increased. An AR-15 was not used in the Newtown massacre as initially reported by the mainstream media. The perpetrator carried a Bushmaster .223 caliber semi automatic, a Glock 10 mm handgun and a Sig Sauer P226, 9 mm handgun. An Izhmash Canta 12 gauge shotgun was seized from his car. He killed his mother to steal these firearms then broke a window in the school building to gain access. Only an armed person could have stopped him. Do you think he would acquiesced to gun laws?

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result.”

Haven’t we learned that when you criminalize guns only criminals will have guns?

Nowhere in Obama’s 23 Executive Actions was there mention of violent video games and movies coming out of Hollywood. Hum!

He did give a permission slip to physicians who may want to inquire about your weapon ownership. Really? I don’t think so.

Patsy Pratt

Durham

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